Author's Notes
Hi to everyone!^^
I promised, right? I told you I would've came back as soon as possible, and so here I am with a new chapter.
Sorry to everyone, this time is quite long, more than other times.
The truth is that the story is proceeding quite slow for now, and even if the events will start proceeding faster very soon, for now I have no choice but to concentrate a lot of things in the chapters without action.
Don't worry, I don't think there will be another chapter so long.
Well, I hope you'll enjoy it!^^
Stay tuned, because the more we get close to Christmas, the more free time I will have to write.
See you soon!^_^
Cj Spencer
4
Following Masala and his unit, the Falcon-9 quickly reached Omega Point, the usual fortified camp with metal walls, two gates and even a couple of defensive turrets located in a small opening among the forest.
It was a bit smaller compared to other camps, mainly because, being located inside the Empire, even though a remote and isolated area, it was necessary to minimize the risks, but despite the small dimensions it had as many, or even more, personnel stationed.
«Welcome in Omega Point.» an aged Colonel said while approaching the column. «I'm Colonel Giru, the commander of this base and the whole antennae project.»
«Major Dante, Falcon-9. Nice to meet you Sir.»
«You must be quite tired after this long voyage. You need a reward; come, we have beer and meat.»
While Betton and the others tried to recover from that sort of odyssey in the canteen, Colonel Giru took Dante in his office, offering him the first good coffee in weeks.
«You're well supplied despite being so far from Castria.»
«We can't complain. There's a town about twenty miles from here, and we had a bit of suwani to spend.»
«That's not what I'd call a discreet approach to the mission.» Dante joked, gleefully sipping that supreme beverage. «But if these are the results of this little initiative, then I suppose there's nothing to complain.»
Giru let Dante free to enjoy his coffee, but after a while, it was time for them to return to serious things.
«I thought you were more numerous. Has something happened?»
«It's a long story. I suppose I'll have to explain that to the General as well. How it's going with the radio signal?»
«Not too good. The winter has been harder than expected, and the antennae in Alfa Point is damaged. We can speak with Castria without a hitch, but we still have problems beyond Arlea.»
«And what about Sigma Point?»
«All damage has been already repaired, and thanks to you, that problem with the robbers is history. And since we're speaking about this, I want to thank you for what you and your squad have done for those poor soldiers. There were even some of my guys among them.»
«Nothing to it, Colonel. And what about the soutbound road? The last communication said something about problems.»
«Yes…» Giru answered while scratching his head. «There are plenty of paths that reach the confluence between the Rho and the Izpin river, but most of them are usually quite busy, especially now, in early spring. The only one that allows vehicle passage and enough cover has been blocked by a landslide a couple of miles from here. I sent some of my men to clean it, but the rain makes it slow work.»
«I understand. Then, I suppose my men will have no choice but help you if we want to proceed further. This voyage has been long, but unfortunately our mission is not over yet. I'll leave my men a couple of days of R&R, but in the end we'll have no choice but continue across the river.»
«Are you sure about this?» Giru said in surprise. «The most you proceed south, the furthest you go into Imperial territory.»
«We have to. I still have to recover my soldier from the centaurs, and the village picked for the exchange is still quite far. Once completed this task, we'll complete our mission coming back to Castria by Arlea.»
Hearing this, Giru glared at Dante, supremely stunned.
«Arlea!? Are you crazy or what?»
«What!?» said a surprised Dante. «What's the problem?»
«Do you really know anything about it? Didn't they tell you anything from Castria?»
«We were unable to speak with Castria. The signal was weak. Our last contact with General Pedersoli has been a couple of weeks ago, after having dealt with the robbers.»
The Colonel looked at the ground, and only then Dante was able to understand that something terrible had happened in the meantime.
«I'm afraid it's not a good idea for you to come back from the other side. Not right now, at least.»
«Why? What happened?»
«There are bad news from the east. Calibria has fallen. Reich and its allies now control the Plain. Captain Lunardi and his Falcon-1 are officially MIA.»
And despite his self-control, this time Dante was unable to prevent the cup from falling, loudly breaking on the wooden floor.
In the blink of an eye, things had changed dramatically in Castria and the whole Italian Administrated Region, once it became clear that now Reich had most assuredly surrounded the whole Plains with its dominion.
For now, the lands around Castria were still uninvaded and safe, but despite this security had been raised to the maximum, turning a troublesome but still quiet and peaceful settlement into a proper and true fortress.
By order of the Government, martial law was now in force in Castria and any other land not administrated by other allied tribes, with all possible consequences: apart for the ambassadors and few other exceptions, all locals were no longer allowed to travel outside their own district unrestricted, and merchants had to face far more severe and careful controls to enter towns.
Even the preparedness and the units' number had been increased: all units on leave had been recalled, while further armoured vehicles and supplies had crossed the gate to provide further support.
Since the beginning of the crisis, General Pedersoli had almost never left his office, always keeping an open line with Rome to receive instructions and report about the situation.
One day, the General was working as usual, when strange noises started coming from the nearby waiting room.
«I said let me through! I want to speak with the General!»
«You can't! Keep away! The General is busy!»
Despite everything, the door of the office in the end slammed open, and a worried but clearly furious soldier appeared in front of Pedersoli's eyes.
«What's the problem?»
«General, please, I need to talk with you.» Tassoni said
«I'm sorry, Sir, I tried to stop him.» Florenzi tried to apologize
Pedersoli remained silent for a while, but at the end he told his attendant to leave them alone.
«So? What's the problem, soldier?»
«Sir, it's already been almost two weeks from the fall of Calibria.» Tassoni said, refusing the seat and waiving pretty much all military etiquette. «The Captain and the others are still out there. We have to do something for them.»
«We won't do anything.» Pedersoli replied, without raising his eyes from the paperwork.
Tassoni couldn't believe it.
«Why, Sir? It's because you think they're already dead? You know Captain Lunardi better than me, Sir, I'm sure he's still alive, and the others too!»
«You were out there, boy, so you should know the answer. You said it in your report, that almost all other cities of the Plains have sided with Reich. Right now, we're almost completely surrounded by Reich's allies, and according to our spies, they've already taken control of all main roads of Haqaba. All the units still inside our territoy have received the order to withdraw to Castria, while the ones out there have orders not to move and remain hidden until further instructions. Right now, we barely have enough soldiers to protect the Administrated Region and our allies.»
«But Rome has sent further troops already.»
«And they've been assigned to the protection of Castria and the other villages. Now that they control such a vast and powerful region, we cannot rule out that Reich won't mobilize all its new allies against us and launch another attack against Castria. We need to prepare.»
«We just need a few more soldiers. I mean… we have scouts. Helicopters. I've heard the airport is ready. We could check out the plains in a few days with just...»
But Simone was unable to continue, because at that point General brought his hands down on the table, calmly but threateningly.
«Now listen very carefully.» the General replied, his icy tone an even clearer reminder of his patience's end. «This mission is costing our country an enormous amount of money; and right now it's double all the others around the world put together. We cannot ask for further resources or men, for reasons you can clearly imagine. Not to mention that I have no intention to send my men to die behind enemy lines, in a land as big as Spain, to blindly search for someone that may be already dead.»
This time, a shocked Tassoni was unable to counter: and it was clear that Pedersoli had no intention to tolerate further objections.
«I… I'm sorry sir.» Simone replied, like he used to do as a child in front of his father.
«I ordered our radio operators to check every frequency day and night, waiting for the antennae system to be completely operative. I know this is cold comfort, even considering that by now they're already so far it'll be difficult for their radios to get any signal at all; but for now, that's all I can do. If we receive confirmation that Flavio and the others are still alive, I'll try to think of something to get them out: but until then, they're on their own.»
Tassoni's hands wereclearly shaking, but in the end, was it his place to discuss a General's decision?
«Y… yes Sir. I understand.»
«Just this once, I'll chalk this up to stress from your imprisonment. But from now on, I won't tolerate such insubordination.»
«Y… yes Sir, thank you Sir.» the young soldier whispered, but then a sudden thought was enough for him to try and defy a little more Pedersoli's patience.
«If I can, Sir…»
«What now?»
«The Warrior Bunny that was with me… she's still under custody. Considering what I already stated in my report… we could let her free.»
«Granted.» the General said, after a short pause. «But she's your responsibility. She'll have to follow the same rules of the others, and live in the locals' district.»
It was small, but for now that was all Simone could hope to gain.
«T… thank you, Sir.»
«Dismissed.»
Once left alone, Pedersoli found himself unable to keep on working, and he worryingly turned to the window, looking at the southern mountains beyond the walls of the city.
«Flavio. Please, be safe.»
Lunardi and the other survivors couldn't deny it anymore: now they were really alone.
For days, the younger and less experienced among them had hoped to see even a tiny sign that someone in Castria had noticed what had happened in Calibria and was searching for them, but the more they kept on looking at the sky, the more their hope faded.
The truth was that with every mile they went even further away from friends, and right now they were completely surrounded by enemies, unable to ask for or receive help, and they were heading right towards someone that was theoretically as hostile as the enemies hunting them.
Even Tymlin, the only one who had stubbornly kept on trying to keep their spirits up, was now silent and discouraged: her prayers to Vulcan flawlessly went without an answer, her new powers were now dormant as well inside her and she had no way to reawaken the .
But Lunardi's words were by far the most important reason for such a gloomy atmosphere, for sure.
Since their first tiny steps to become Falcons, one of the first lessons they had had learn was that, above anything else, the team held priority over the men. As long as there was even the smallest possibility for the unit to complete its task and return safely to the base, the Commander had the official duty to prioritize the duty over the fate of his soldiers, even at the cost of leaving them behind.
And that was not all. Whenever one of them was killed or had died, in death there was nothing to expect. In order to prevent Reich or someone else to put its hands on Earth technology, or even know their true identity, nothing had to remain of a casualty: dresses and other flammable things had to be taken away, and the body could only expect a hasty burial in the earth, naked and without even a coffin.
But the worst case scenario was the likeness of the squad being overwhelmed or captured, with no hope of support or for a cleaning crew; and while mulling over this, a phrase echoed in everyone's ears: execute Order 45.
Since the mission's beginning, there had been over twenty official victims; among them, however, there was the Falcon-11, fallen into a Reichian trap while patrolling the northern boarders of the RAI a few days after the battle. Lunardi and his squad were the ones who found their remains after the battle, and just a brief look was more than enough to understand that the last man fighting had followed the final order, blowing himself, and everything else with him, with a powerful charge.
They were soldiers, so they knew that death was more than just an hypothesis, and the simple memory of the last three months was more than enough proof. However, most of them were still too young and green to accept something like this, even after what they had just lived through.
Everyone in these latest days had done their best to avoid such thoughts, especially after having received a tremendous earful by Rocco just a couple of nights before, while whispering about the Order 45 around the fireplace. But in truth, the Sergeant himself could no longer deny to himself that even if their current situation was far from anything they had passed through, now more than ever the same survival instincts that was pushing them to fight for their lives could be faced by the very order to end them.
And among all this, Captain Lunardi's behavior hadn't seemingly changed a bit, to the point that he and Rocco hadn't talked anymore since that night. Cassetti and the others were trying to rationalize that, as a commander, Flavio had been forced to speak like that, to prod them into action and also to reassure them he would do his damnedest to bring them home. But at the same time, it was difficult to accept that right now, more than ever, being left behind and dying alone was more than possible.
It was already painful enough to think about Niang and the others' fate, but the mere thought of finding themselves in their friends' shoes was even worse; and even if they knew that Flavio was not the kind of man who'd easily leave them to die, now they had the proof that, if necessary, that was a step he was ready to make.
Meanwhile, they were putting more and more miles between them and their followers, but one day, the reason for marching as fast as they could became apparent, and while proceeding along a grassy valley the VM90 started to slow down, in the end stopping once and for all.
«It's over, Sir. That's the finish.» said Wang, as worried as everyone else.
Lunardi annoyingly sighed: he had even ordered to leave behind anything not essential to save as much fuel as possible, but in the end the gain was marginal.
«How far do you think they are?» Stefanini asked while looking behind
«We were quite slow.» Amato answered. «But we never stopped, while they must have had to stop sometimes to get their mounts some rest.»
«We have roughly two to three days headstart.» Lunardi cut things short with the usual, icy tone.
At that point, there was no other choice. And since there was no place around there to hide the vehicle for an eventual recovery, it was necessary to take care of it.
«Place a charge» Lunardi ordered Cassetti «And set the timer to twelve hours from now.»
«Aye aye, Sir.»
«And take the radio with us. We'll use the battery to fuel it.»
«As you wish.»
While Cassetti and Valenti were settling the bomb and dismantling the radio, Lunardi took out the map.
«We've covered most of the road, but there are still no less than one hundred miles to reach the Vardenia Pass.»
«It's a long way without the truck.» Wang commented.
«The closer we get to the Empire's borders, the more villages and Imperial forts we'll find; which means that the Reichians following us will need to pay a lot of attention to stay unnoticed. If we're lucky, they'll stop following us once we cross this gorge, the Vanadis Cliff.»
Right then, Cassetti came back.
«Bomb placed, Sir.»
«Very well.» he said while putting the map away and putting the backpack on his shoulders.
«Take only what is essential.» Rocco ordered. «Magazines, ammunitions and water.»
«What about the food?» Tymlin asked.
«We cannot bring it.» Lunardi answered for him while starting to walk. «Come on, guys. From now on, we go on foot. And try to be fast. Because from now on, things have changed. Now we're the turtle, and they're the hare.»
With only three hundred soldiers out of thefour thousands with whom they had left Padavium four months earlier, Agrippa and Valeriano were now not far from Arlea.
Due to the exceptionally cold and bitter winter, the General had renounced to follow the Empire's borders on the side of the southern mountains, and, despite rumors about strange movements there going around, the Ninth Legion had finally reached the Plains.
Knowing full well how fresh was the memory from the previous invasion, Agrippa had elected to keep his little army as far as possible from the cities and all major villages of the region, repeatedly showing the non combatants' yellow banner at the head of the colums. His choice had undoubtedly avoided problems with the rulers of the Plains, but it had also forced the army away from most water sources in a notoriously barren region, forcing the General to enlist some local pathfinders, whose loyalty both Agrippa and Valeriano strongly doubted.
The poor Valeriano had been forced to leave behind his beloved litter to spare slaves and horses, but for nothing in the world he would have accepted to give up the chest full of togas and everything else needed to put up his best appearance for his very first meeting with the Green People. Meanwhile, even while traveling on horseback, he took all the chances to check out his skin and clean even the smallest stain with his luxurious set of brushes.
Agrippa instead was quite worried. That endless expanse of hills and grass with no forests or other cover wasn't the best place for moving in such remote and dangerous lands, and apart for the pathfinders he had ordered a group of equestrians to check the surrounding areas to look out for any threats. And that day, despite being almost midday, one of the scouts hadn't returned yet, and now the General was clearly nervous.
«There's something wrong.» Agrippa said while leading the column. «Julius is taking too much.»
«These hills are all similar.» said Valeriano at his side, unperturbed. «Maybe he simply got lost.»
«You obviously don't know my men, Senator. I fought with them in the Plains during the last war. They know this place like the back of their hands.» Then he turned to the pathfinder riding in front of them. «Hey, you! How long for the springs? We're almost out of supplies. Remember our agreement? No water, no payment.»
«Don't worry, General.» he said with a fake smile. «You see those rocky hills? The springs are right beyond them. Trust me, we'll be there in just an hour.»
A few minutes later, the last sentinel finally returned: and he had important news to report.
«I found traces, Commander. Many traces.»
«Heading where?»
«Right beyond those rocky hills.»
Hearing this, Agrippa immediately ordered to stop.
«Are you sure of this?»
«There's no doubt, Sir.»
«Who do you think they may be? Explorers like you? Or maybe even a whole army?»
«I'm not sure, General. They're too many to be scouts. And there must be women and children with them, but I saw no signs of horses or doblirth. I followed the traces for a while, but at the end I thought it was better to come back and report.»
«Well done, soldier. Now go to rest; you deserve it.»
«Yes, Sir. Thank you Sir.»
Then the sentinel came back to the ranks, leaving the General and the Senator to discuss among each other.
«Women and children in this desolated land?»
«Maybe they're nomads. Or a caravan.»
«A horseless caravan? Impossible.»
«Anyway, we need that water. What do we do now?»
Agrippa pondered for a bit, then he called his legatus.
«Set the camp. We stop here for today.»
«Yes, General.»
«What are you planning to do?» Valeriano asked.
«There's no need to provoke them or search for trouble. I'll go there personally with just a couple of men. If I give my word that we mean no harm, maybe they'll let us take the water with no need to fight or being rude.»
«Watch out, Generals. They're barbarians.»
«Thirst has the power to make all living beings equals. And if necessary, then I'll use persuasive methods. After all, we're speaking of women and children.» Then he turned again to the pathfinder. «Hey, you! Lead me to the springs.»
«Aye aye, General.»
At that point Agrippa called three of his most trusted officers and an empty cart; however, before they could depart, Valeriano too joined the squad.
«Not so fast, my friend. I'm coming with you.»
«It could be dangerous, old man.»
«They're just women and children. Your words.»
Agrippa didn't object further, and finally the squad left, with one of the horsemen wielding the yellow banner.
One hundred and fifty-six men, four-hundred and eighty-two women, seven-hundred and forty children, two-hundred and sixty-one old people and ninety-seven soldiers was all that remained of the city once considered the mightiest and most respected of the Plains.
After having left the tunnels, the survivors of that night had put their lives in the hands of Anthelea and his uncle Pharmenon, and almost immediately their choice, supported by Sadee, Radika and Medea, had been to try and reach the only place in the world too well defended even for Reich.
Because of that, and by taking paths that only someone born and raised in the Plains could know, that mass of desperate people with nothing but their bare lives had started going west, in the hope of reaching Arlea and then turn north toward Castria.
It was difficult enough to move an army in such a barren and unhospitable land, but doing it together with women, children and even many wounded was an endless bet with destiny, and more than once the column went far too close of being noticed and wiped away.
Fortunately, the Gods had finally come back to assist what remained of the Calibrians, and now that the deep forests of Arlea were now just a few miles from there, most of the survivors had finally started thinking that maybe there was still hope for them.
At sunset, after almost two days spent walking, the refugees had reached the next springs, around which they had regrouped, drinking some fresh water for the first time in days and eating some of the few provisions they had been able to take with them.
Those brief and somehow peaceful breaks were a good moment to provide some help to the wounded as well, so immediately after dinner Sadee, Lyndon and Medea had started walking around to change bandages, medicate wounds and even treat the kind of blisters that only an endless walk across those impervious and savage steppes was able to cause.
Once finished with their work, and with sun about to disappear beyond the hills, the two girls reunited with Anthelea and Pharmenon around the well.
«We're almost out of bandages.» Medea said. «I used some of my magic power to heal the simpler wounds, but some of them are about to reach their limit.»
«I agree with her.» said an even more worried Sadee. «They're all exhausted by this infernal march, and without proper treatments and enough food it will be impossible for many of them to reach Castria.»
«For now, the only thing that matters is to reach Arlea.» Radika said, reaching the group. «Those forests are deep and impervious. I don't think that the Reichians will risk getting so close to the Singing People's stronghold just to bag a bunch of refugees.»
Anthelea's mind however was not with them, lost in her thoughts and sadness more than ever. The trauma of having seen his brother die in front of her eyes was still there to torture her, and the situation was even more difficult to bear just by considering the kind of hell they were in.
«I still can't believe it. My father. The king did all this.»
«Deiphobos has let his fear and greed decide for him.» Pharmenon said. «You're not responsible for his actions.»
«But this changes nothing. If I just think of the innocents we left behind…» the girl said in tears. «They were my friends. My people. We abandoned them. Now they are in chains, or maybe even…»
«Those too are your people, Your Grace.» Lyndon said indicating the crowd all around them. «They have faith in you.»
«Lyndon is right.» Sadee said. «We're still alive, and this is all that matters. As long as there's someone who can be saved, mourning the dead is a pointless endeavor.»
«But even if we should be able to escape, what is the point? Calibria is dead.»
«If we stay alive, Calibria will not die.» said Pharmenon. «We'll retrieve it, sooner or later. Right?»
«Of course.» said Radika. «Trust me, all we have to do is reach Castria. I'm sure that my people will be more than happy to help you in retaking your city from Reich.»
The princess however still looked incredibly confused, and kept looking at her trembling hands while crying.
«Maybe… maybe it would have been better for us to surrender from the beginning.»
«What!?» everybody said in shock
«How could we hope to defeat a powerful nation like Reich? It was a better idea to avoid fighting, instead of facing a hopeless war.»
«You're joking, right?» Medea said. «They're like the Empire. Wheter you surrendered or not, Calibria's fate would've been the same. At least you fought to protect your nations. We did the same, and despite everything we never regretted our choice.»
«She's right.» Sadee commented. «Trust me, nothing good comes from crossing Reich's path. And even for the ones that surrender, the price is equally high. Because if you become part of their empire, your past, your culture, your own soul is taken away, and you become nothing more than a pawn in their plans. I know it, because I saw some of my tribe doing it, and when I met them again they were no longer the same.»
«Who cares for all this?» Anthelea shouted, «Who cares of heritage and pride? I want my father, my brother, my friends back! They would be still alive if we hadn't fought! Isn't staying alive better to die in a hopeless war?»
Pharmenon's dry but still vigorous hand hit her cheek with unexpected power, shocking everyone and leaving Anthelea speechless.
«Never say it again, Anthelea!»
«Uncle…»
«The noble Aristhes, and all the others… they have sacrificed their lives to give us a chance. They've defended our nation till their last breath, and I'm sure that their last thought before leaving this world was the hope to see Calibria's memory survive against this enemy that aims to wipe every other culture away and replace them with its own.
The less you can do to honor their death, is to make sure that the flame of our people will not die to this. Because if the heart of Calibria dies, no one will remain to remember their sacrifice and preserve our soul.»
Then, Aristhes turned to the people, prodding Anthelea in doing the same.
«Your brother was a great prince. I'm sure he would've become the best king ever seen in the history of Calibria. Even greater than the hundred before him. But now, this is your people my dear. You're their queen. It's your task to make sure that they will find a way to reclaim their pride as free men and Calibrians. Do this, and Aristhes will not have died in vain.»
Tears kept on filling the princess' eyes; but this time, they were tears of fear.
«I… I fear I'm not strong enough. I'm not like my brother. I've always let someone else decide for me.»
«And now you have the choice to prove that you can do that by yourself.» said Sadee. «There's a proverb in the Country beyond the gate: Nessuno nasce maestro. It means that only by trying with everything you have you can become better. The Gods have chosen you to take this burden, and by doing it you'll prove to the world and yourself that you can become the queen your people deserves.»
«You're no more a child, sweetheart.» Pharmenon said. «It's time for you to take your responsibilities. But remember, I'll be at your side. Always.»
Finally, a ghost of a smile seemed to appear in Anthelea's lips, and the sight of those trustworthy friends ready to help her was enough to light a small flame in her heart.
But suddenly, Radika's trained ears picked up something, making her turn toward the hills behind her back, worried.
«What happens?» Lyndon asked
«Someone's coming.»